An author uses language to impact the readers thinking. The repetition of words or phrases within a story can hammer home an idea, within one’s mind while reading. David Foster Wallace the author of This is Water uses the word “or” many times within the story to demonstrate the effect it has on people’s lives. While addressing Kenyon College, during his graduation commencement ceremony speech he talks about the choices these young people are able to make every day in order to change their lives and avoid the dark, dull and boring adult life many face each day. Foster successfully shows that “or” is a platform used to discuss the impact that the choices that are made have.

For David Foster Wallace the use of “or” is to indicate that change is occurring, “or moments” are an opportunity for someone to take charge of a situation and ensure a difference is made, not only in themselves but others also. Every day people are granted the opportunity to make decisions; while some are big and very meaningful, others seem meaningless and monotonous. Each and every decision dictates the course of the day. However, in order to make a day great or even just better than the same old same old we need to break the chains that oppress people into routines each day. David Foster Wallace shows that our default setting is what makes us this way,

“Look, if I choose to think about it this way, fine, lots of us do — except that thinking this way certain tends to be so easy and automatic it doesn't have to be a choice. Thinking this way is my natural default-setting. It's the automatic, unconscious way that I experience the boring, frustrating, crowded parts of my adult life when I'm operating on the automatic, unconscious belief that I am the center of the world and that my immediate needs and feelings are what should determine the world's priorities” (Foster Wallace XIII). 

He continues to say that the only way we are able to break this way of thinking is with mental toughness and will. Will and mental toughness are the back bone of every “or” moment, they are needed to stray from normality and be better than before. The “or” choices have an impact like no others, in terms of their ability to induce change for people. This how David Foster Wallace addresses “or” within This is Water.

The use of perspective is keen when thinking about a situation. Having a vantage point different from your own shows the measure of the value of our decisions. Foster explains this when he says, “Or that Hummer that just cut me off is maybe being driven by a father whose little child is hurt or sick in the seat next to him, and he is trying to get this kid to the hospital now, and he is in a bigger, more legitimate hurry than I am: it is actually I who am in HIS way” (Foster Wallace XV). The traffic here is different for everyone. The use of “or” here shows that we have a choice within our everyday life, and with this choice we are able to make a big difference. The choices we face dictate what we take out of each interaction. Foster Wallace does this by using a real life situation to mimic the process of thought that people have, in order to show the amount of effort needed to bring about change. He states earlier that we need to break away from our default settings to grow as people and the primary way is through the use of “or”.

Foster also shows that “or” is used for everyday decisions that seem meaningless to that person but are beneficial in becoming more aware in breaking away from the natural setting we are on in the long run. When faced with these little life decisions Foster Wallace is able to make the difference in himself. He profoundly chooses not to focus on himself; as this is a way to make change a reality, “Or I can choose to force myself to consider the likelihood that everyone else in the supermarket’s checkout line and are just as bored and frustrated as I am, and that some of these people probably have harder, more tedious and painful lives than I do” (Foster Wallace XV). This is applicable to everyone, as Mr. Wallace tries to use “or” to replicate the choices are given in our lives every day. He says that we can focus on ourselves or others, and this is a challenge we all face, and with the use of “or” we are able to address the choices that are present. Changing a view point on something is the change needed to be different and be better, with this use of “or” either someone can be mad about how they have to be in this line or they can understand that this is a blessing and not everybody gets the opportunity to buy food whenever they would like to. Foster Wallace understands that some people have more difficult lives than others however he also is able to take into consideration the value of the choices they make. If they put emphasize on all their “or” moments, anyone is able to transform a situation.

Changing the perspective on a situation with “or” is all that we need to revolutionize one’s way of thinking. You are able to revolutionize your thinking with “or” easily; by not taking the little decisions for granted, a person is able to think about each one of their decisions and come to the conclusion whether or not this is the best option for them or not. He also says that people need to break away from their nature to be able to have change, “Or maybe this very lady is the low-wage clerk at the motor vehicle department, who just yesterday helped your spouse resolve a horrific, infuriating, red-tape problem through some small act of bureaucratic kindness” (Foster Wallace XV). David Foster Wallace, preaches how the people we expect the least from use “or” to switch the situation in their favor. If people put up walls of defense to outside forces, people are never going to be able to disengage from their normal lives. When changing perspectives you are able to see the full scope of the decisions that are made. This use of “or” shows that people are able to choose anything they want in their lives; this is known because he is faced with a problem and the only solution is through using “or” to address the choice. The choices range greatly and show that nothing is truly as it seems.

In This is Water by David Foster Wallace we are constantly reminded to break the cycle of our dull everyday lives. The use of “or” within the story shows that we need focus on others and not just ourselves always. This provides us with multiple different choices for any situation and shows that we can always break out from the norms that society presents for us. Within the story Foster Wallace shows “or” used in many instance including addressing everyday problems and big decisions in our lives. Foster Wallace uses these examples because they are applicable to all readers, with this in mind it is able to be a commonality for everyone involved. Since everyone has this in common, Foster Wallace is able to show the true impact all of these decisions have on one’s life. The only way we can break out of this state is with the use of “or” within our lives. Pick your head up and realize that the choice that provided with “or” is what is needed to cease our boring lives and start with new life within our lives.